Rep. Jim Moran says members of Congress are 'underpaid'

Considering the anger Americans have for Congress’ job performance, Rep. Jim Moran isn’t going to find many people to agree with his push to get Congress a pay raise. The Democrat from Virginia said today that he thinks members of Congress are underpaid.

“I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid,” Moran told CQ Roll Call. “I understand that it’s widely felt that they underperform, but the fact is that this is the board of directors for the largest economic entity in the world.”

Moran and his colleagues currently make $174,000 a year, but he said that is not enough for many of them to “live decently in Washington,” notes The Washington Post.

Congress’ wages have been stuck at that number for three years. Moran said that he is going to introduce a pay raise during debate on the Legislative Branch appropriations bill.

Moran is not running for re-election this year, so perhaps he can afford to make comments like that. He also isn’t one of those members who need two homes, since his district is right across the river from Washington. He represents the high-income counties of Arlington County and Fairfax County in Northern Virginia.